The Aftermath
by counterdogma
Summary: Sequel to 'A Fatal Meeting'. You should probably read that first. DH. It is, as the title proclaims, the aftermath of the meeting in the first story. One Shot.


_The Aftermath_

_--------------------------------_

Harry stood in the middle of a crowd of Death Eaters whose collective emotions ranged from bemused to livid.

Malfoy stood next to him, having recovered as best he could from his short encounter with Cruciatus.

Harry had just, with Malfoy's help, destroyed the last Horcrux and defeated Voldemort.

That was lovely, simply grand, really, but now Harry needed to leave this hornet's nest before he celebrated the completion of the prophecy by being brutally murdered.

The Death Eaters still appeared to be in shock, which was fair. It had only been one minute since Harry had killed their Lord. The one who had claimed to be immortal. It had to be a bit of a surprise.

Harry stared down the Death Eaters in front of him, well aware that he was surrounded on all sides. He reached back slowly and grasped Malfoy's wrist, reaching into his pocket with his free hand. The hive was beginning to buzz in indignation. They really didn't appreciate their master being killed.

Harry glanced back at Malfoy, partly to make sure he hadn't grabbed some other random Death Eater, and partly to warn him to brace himself. Then he activated his Portkey.

It had been the condition upon which Hermione had let him go alone. He had to bring portkeys. One in his pocket, and one in his shoe just in case the bottle cap was lost or discovered. Both led back to the Burrow, where Ron and Hermione were waiting nervously.

Harry arrived in the living room and fell into a graceless heap in front of the fireplace, as was his custom when using this method of transportation. He heard a yelp and Malfoy fell on top of him, having been pulled down by Harry's grip on his arm.

"Bloody ouch, Potter," he grumbled, extracting himself from the pile of limbs they made together on the floor. Harry found himself flushing slightly as he remembered the kiss.

"Harry!" Hermione cried, launching herself on him and asking several questions in rapid succession. "Are you alright?! Did it work?! Is he gone?! Why is Malfoy here!?"

"Er," Harry said, trying to work out the responses as he stood and brushed himself off. "I'm fine, it worked, he's dead, and Malfoy helped."

A cheer rose from the rest of the room, and Harry realized that, aside from Hermione and Ron (who were eyeing Malfoy distrustfully), most of the Order was crammed into the Weasley's living room.

"You-Know-Who is dead?"

"Are you sure?"

"He's gone?!"

"Potter!" Moody limped forward urgently. "Were his Death Eaters there?"

Harry nodded. "Yes, and they still seemed to be in shock when I left. You might be able to catch a few if you get there quickly."

Moody nodded respectfully to him and stumped off to gather an attack force with a quick, 'Thanks for getting rid of him, Potter.'

Harry grinned in spite of himself. Voldemort was really dead. He could feel it in his scar. He turned to see his friends watching Malfoy, who was standing uncomfortably by the fireplace.

"Thanks, Malfoy," Harry said quietly. Malfoy looked up at him and nodded.

"What did he do?" Ron asked, a note of doubt lacing his words.

"We missed a Horcrux," Harry said bluntly, causing Hermione to gasp and Ron to stare at him in wide eyed shock. "Malfoy had it. He pretended to cast Imperio on me and snuck it to me so I could destroy it. I'd be dead if it weren't for him."

Hermione looked at Malfoy with new eyes.

"You saved Harry," she said gratefully. "You saved us all. Thank you."

Ron nodded with a sigh. "As much as I hate to say it, she's right," He shook his head with a rueful grin. "Hermione's always right. Thanks Malfoy."

They both grinned at Harry and congratulated him for finally killing Voldemort, then left Harry and Malfoy to themselves by the fire.

Harry looked out at the group in the living room, which had grown much smaller, but no less joyful, after Moody left with his Death Eater Capture Squad. He could see Malfoy darting glances at him out of the corner of his eye, and finally asked, "It's too crowded in here, d'you want to go outside?"

Malfoy nodded gratefully, and they left the room, exiting into the garden through the kitchen door. It was as wild as ever, and Harry could see a few gnomes playing in the weeds by the hedge from where he stood.

They walked in silence for a few minutes, side by side, and Harry couldn't think of how to voice what he wanted to say. Finally he decided to be blunt.

"Malfoy?" Malfoy stopped walking as Harry did and looked at him curiously.

"Potter?"

"I just…" Blunt, Harry reminded himself. Just say it. "I just wanted to thank you for what you did, and I was kind of wondering why you helped me, but I was really more curious about why you did it that way, and about what Voldemort said before he died..."

Harry had to bite the inside of his lip to keep himself from babbling any further, and looked to Malfoy hopefully for a response.

Malfoy had looked away during Harry's speech, and was now watching the gnomes hit each other with twigs. When he looked back, Harry realized he was flushing slightly. It reminded him of how Malfoy had looked after they'd kissed, and Harry realized with a start that his thoughts on the subject hadn't changed. He'd still quite like to do it again.

"I just had the opportunity, and I took it," Malfoy said, looking anywhere but at Harry. "I knew I wasn't cut out for being a Death Eater after what last year did to me, so I found a way to get out of it."

"And what about what Voldemort said?" Harry asked, finding himself ridiculously distracted when Malfoy licked his lips nervously. "About reciprocation?"

Malfoy didn't have to ask what he meant, but as Harry watched the flush grow deeper, he realized that Malfoy didn't have to answer either.

"Malfoy?" he asked softly, stepping closer. "Draco?"

Malfoy's eyes snapped onto his at the sound of his first name, and widened when he realized how close Harry was.

"Yes," he answered. Harry spared one glance for the house, to make sure no one was watching them, before leaning forward, this time entirely of his own volition from the very start, and fitting his lips carefully against Draco's.

Draco kissed back immediately, and the same feelings coursed through Harry as last time, only this time he could enjoy it, this time he had taken care of that nuisance of a Dark Lord and his bothersome Death Eaters, and he could take as long as he wanted.

He could wrap his arms around Draco's waist and pull him closer, which he did, only to hear a sound of what could only be appreciation emerge from Draco's throat, and to find that Draco's arms had come up to twine in his hair.

They kissed and kissed and Harry found that this was one of those things he could spend hours at and still not grow bored. There was no way he could get bored of this, especially not when Draco was so imaginative with how he put his tongue to use.

They had been kissing for quite a while, Harry didn't know quite how long, but he couldn't be expected to pay attention to such a silly thing as time when he had something much more interesting biting his earlobe at the moment. But eventually, someone came looking for them, as they of course had to, and Harry spent a brief second thinking that whoever it was was no better than Voldemort, interrupting people when they were trying to snog. It just wasn't right.

It was Bill, and Harry immediately felt rather guilty, comparing his best friend's older brother to a Dark Lord just because he'd unknowingly interrupted something important. Harry followed him through the garden, Draco trailing reluctantly after them, as near to pouting as Harry had ever seen him, and Harry snagged his hand as they walked. He glanced back in time to see Draco smirk at him and lean in close enough to whisper in Harry's ear.

"You have a room to yourself, right?"

Harry grinned. He was _so_ happy Malfoy had been here tonight.

* * *

_Thanks should probably go to **westkitsune** for the title...I couldn't think of anything, and what you said in your review sounded so perfect. Thank you!_


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